Chanterelle Mushroom Bisque

Clean the mushrooms thoroughly by rinsing them under cold water, and gently pat them dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Then, cut the mushrooms in half lengthwise and further chop them into smaller pieces.

Next, melt a generous amount of butter in a large, heavy-bottomed cooking vessel over medium heat. Add sliced shallots to the pot and cook until they become soft and translucent, taking around 3-5 minutes. Stir in the chopped mushroom pieces and sprinkle a pinch of salt over them to help release their natural juices. Add a few grinds of black pepper and drizzle with olive oil to enhance the flavors.

Continue cooking the mixture over medium heat until the mushroom pieces have shrunk in size and developed a light brown color, taking about 5 minutes.

Now, pour chicken stock into the pot and bring it to a rolling boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat source and let it cool down slightly, allowing it to reach a comfortable temperature for blending. This process should take around 10-20 minutes.

Transfer the cooled soup to a high-powered blender and cover it with a lid. Hold the lid firmly in place using a potholder to prevent any accidents, and blend the soup on high speed until it's smooth and pureed. This should take around 1-2 minutes.

Add half-and-half to the blended soup and blend for an additional minute.

Return the blended soup to the pot and heat it over low-medium heat until warmed through, taking around 5-10 minutes. Finally, taste the soup and adjust its seasoning as needed to achieve your desired flavor profile.